Loosecubes: Changing the Way You Work

Contents

“More than 30 percent of the U.S. workforce works remotely,” says Campbell McKellar, CEO of Loosecubes. With 1,700 flexible spaces signed up to host a mobile workforce, maybe she’s onto something.

Collaborative consumption and cloud services make it much easier to work remotely these days. One of the things people seem to miss, however, is a sense of community. Enter Loosecubes, a global network of workspaces that has made community the core of its business model. Like Airbnb and Getaround, Loosecubes pairs people who are looking for a space to work from with “hosts,” or business owners who have space to rent to business nomads.

The success of Loosecubes is largely based on social networking. It’s recently made it possible for members to connect with Facebook friends to receive recommendations for coworking spaces. Hosts can also connect to Facebook to receive recommendations for Loosecubers that they should invite to their space. They have enabled online payment through PayPal, making it easy for workers to book and pay for a flexible workspace in one transaction.

Business travelers get to work out of a comfortable space, with all the technical needs one would get (and pay more for) at a hotel, and they get to know some locals at the same time—an ideal scenario for these folks. But, what are the realities? We interviewed McKellar about how her company can improve the work experience for business travelers.

PCMag: The Loosecubes business model is based on collaborative consumption. Is that what you had in mind when you were developing this idea?

Campbell: Actually, I wasn't too familiar with the concept of collaborative consumption when I first started dreaming up Loosecubes in 2009. I was in Maine working remotely for a Manhattan-based real estate company, and I was starting to get cabin fever. I kept wishing there was a way for me to find people in the area who were willing to share a desk, couch, beanbag, etc. at their office or studio, so that I didn't have to battle my boyfriend for the Wi-Fi signal. My knowledge of commercial real estate helped me realize just how large the opportunity could be for a company that helped facilitate these connections, especially since the recession resulted in lots of empty desks. Once I started Loosecubes, I realized just how many great companies there were in the world of collaborative consumption, and it's been extremely helpful to work through problems with some of my fellow founders. It's almost like being in a support group.

PCMag: Why do you think this business model is so interesting for people right now?

Campbell: I think the collaborative consumption model was really made relevant by companies like Netflix and Zipcar. They’ve made it as easy as possible for people to abandon the desire to own certain items. People in other industries took note of the success of some of these companies and realized they might be missing out on something big.

PCMag: The Loosecubes mission is “to change the way people work." What do you mean by that?

Campbell: I've always been more productive when I can work where and when I want. College works like that, and often students study late into the night. With technologies like Skype and Dropbox, we're able to work with people all over the world. The traditional 9-to-5 job feels like an artificial constraint. More than 30 percent of the U.S. workforce works remotely. We've become increasingly isolated in our homes and local Starbucks, working with people all over the globe but only communicating electronically. I want to bring positive human interactions back into our every-day work lives. I think meeting up to cowork can bring that back. It's as much about meeting new clients or partners as it is about meeting new friends to share happy hour and office jokes with. The new Loosecubes workplace provides community, connection, and idea generation opportunities for a group of people who choose to get up and "go to work” when they want.

Kirsten Cluthe is a contributing writer for various media outlets, including Connected Traveler for PCMag.com, mediabistro.com, and several blogs focused on travel, tech, business, and media. She began her career in Los Angeles, coordinating concert tours and recovering lost baggage for traveling musicians. When not in a window seat at 36,000 feet, she appreciates the view from the ground in Jersey City.
You can follow her on Twitter here: @kir
More »